Astroblog

Obscured by Clouds. The rough and ready blog of a cloud benighted biologist and amateur astronomer. Astroblog will cover my interests in astronomy, biology and Life, the Universe and Everything.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Sky This Week - Thursday June 26 to Thursday July 3

The New Moon is Friday June 27. Jupiter is low in the early evening
sky and is visited by the crescent Moon on the 29th. Mars and Saturn are prominent in the evening sky. Venus is
prominent in the morning sky, coming close to the red star Aldebaran and forming a second "eye" for the constellation of the Bull.

The New Moon is Friday June 27.The Moon is at apogee (furthest from the Sun) on July 1st.

Evening
sky on Sunday June 29 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:00
pm ACST in South Australia. Jupiter is above the north-western
horizon with the crescent Moon close by. Similar views will be seen elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).

At 6:00 pm if you have a level horizon free of obstructions, you can see
three bright planets strung out across the sky, Jupiter just above the
horizon, Mars high in the northern sky and Saturn above the eastern horizon.

Jupiter
is low to the horizon when twilight ends. Jupiter sets around 19:00,
telescopic observation
is not really worthwhile now.

In the early evening Jupiter is above the north-western horizon between the
bright
stars Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini, and the bright red star
Betelgeuse. Jupiter is quite easy to
see as the brightest object above the western horizon in the early evening. In the early evening the
sight of bright Jupiter sinking to the west, and bright Mars (still not
as bright as Jupiter though) to the north and Saturn rising in the east is quite beautiful.

Jupiter's Moons are readily visible in binoculars.

Mars is easily seen in the northern and north-western evening sky.
It is highest in the sky around 19:00. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest, on the 9th of April, and
is still
readily distinguishable as the bright red/orange object above the
northern horizon in the early evening. Mars is in the constellation of Virgo near the
brightish star Porrima, and is slowly coming closer to the bright star Spica. Mars is still worthwhile looking at in a
telescope now, although you will need a decent one to see any detail.

Saturn is rising higher in the evening sky, and was at opposition on the 11th. Saturn
is visible all night long. Saturn is high enough
from around 10 pm for decent telescopic observation (see below).
Saturn is in Libra near the head
of the constellation of the Scorpion and forms a shallow triangle with the
two brightest stars of Libra, its apex pointing towards the head of the
Scorpion.

Morning sky on Monday June 30 looking north-east as seen from Adelaide
at 6:30 am ACST. Venus is close to the bright star Aldebaran. Similar views will be seen throughout
Australia at equivalent
local times. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is in the morning sky, above the north-eastern horizon. The brightest object
in the morning sky, it is easy
to see and although it is past maximum
brightness, it will dominate the early morning sky for some time to come.

Venus was at its furthest distance from
the Sun on the 23rd of March, and is slowly sinking towards
the horizon. Venus is a clear gibbous Moon shape in a telescope.
During the week Venus passes close to the "A" shaped Hyades cluster that forms the head of the
Bull. By the 30th Venus is close to the bright red star Aldebaran forming a second "eye" in the head of the Bull.

Evening
sky on Saturday June 28 looking west as seen from Adelaide at 22:00
pm
ACST in South Australia. The inset shows the telescopic views of Saturn at this time.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent
local time (click to embiggen).

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially
with Mars and Venus and Saturn so prominent in the sky. If you don't have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Aurora Watch Sunday 22 June - Monday 23 June

The Australian IPS has released an aurora watch for Sunday evening
(22 June) to early Monday morning (23 June). If aurora occur, this
may be visible in Tasmania, Southern NZ, and possibly Southern Vic,
WA and Southern North Island New Zealand.

Depending on when the incoming Coronal Mass Ejection strikes, we may
see minor storm periods in the late evening to early morning. The
Moon is at last Quarter Phase, so the skies will be fairly dark until
early morning. As always look to the south for shifting red/green
glows, recently beams have been reported too. As usual, dark sky
sites will have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow
around 5 minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted.

SUBJ: IPS AURORA WATCH
ISSUED AT 0047 UT ON 21 Jun 2014 BY IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE

A Coronal Mass Ejection is expected to impact the Earth in the latter
half of 22 June to 23 June, possibly resulting in space weather
activity and visible auroras during local nighttime hours. Aurora
alerts will follow should favourable space weather activity
eventuate.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The Sky This Week - Thursday June 19 to Thursday June 26

The Last Quarter Moon is Friday June 20. The Earth is at Solstice on June 21. Jupiter is low in the early evening
sky. Mars and Saturn are prominent in the evening sky. Venus is
prominent in the morning sky, coming closer to the red star Aldebaran. Venus is close to the crescent Moon on the 24th and 25th.

The Last Quarter Moon is Friday June 20. The Earth is at Solstice on June 21, when the night is the longest in the Southern hemisphere.

Evening
sky on Saturday June 21 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:00
pm ACST in South Australia. Jupiter is above the north-western
horizon. Similar views will be seen elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).

At 6:00 pm if you have a level horizon free of obstructions, you can see
three bright planets strung out across the sky, Jupiter just above the
horizon, Mars high in the northern sky and Saturn above the eastern horizon.

Jupiter
is low to the horizon when twilight ends. Jupiter sets around 19:00,
telescopic observation
is not really worthwhile now.

In the early evening Jupiter is above the north-western horizon between the
bright
stars Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini, and the bright red star
Betelgeuse. Jupiter is quite easy to
see as the brightest object above the western horizon in the early evening. In the early evening the
sight of bright Jupiter sinking to the west, and bright Mars (still not
as bright as Jupiter though) to the north and Saturn rising in the east is quite beautiful.

Jupiter's Moons are readily visible in binoculars.

Mars is easily seen in the northern and north-western evening sky.
It is highest in the sky around 19:00. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest, on the 9th of April, and
is still
readily distinguishable as the bright red/orange object above the
northern horizon in the early evening. Mars is in the constellation of Virgo near the
brightish star Porrima, and is slowly coming closer to the bright star Spica. Mars is still worthwhile looking at in a
telescope now, although you will need a decent one to see any detail.

Saturn is rising higher in the evening sky, and was at opposition on the 11th. Saturn
is visible all night long. Saturn is high enough
from around 10 pm for decent telescopic observation (see below).
Saturn is in Libra near the head
of the constellation of the Scorpion and forms a shallow triangle with the
two brightest stars of Libra, its apex pointing towards the head of the
Scorpion.

Morning sky on Wednesday June 25 looking east as seen from Adelaide
at 6:30 am ACST. The crescent Moon is close to Venus, In between Venus and the bright star Aldebaran. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at equivalent
local times. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is in the morning sky, above the north-eastern horizon. The brightest object
in the morning sky, it is easy
to see and although it is past maximum
brightness, it will dominate the early morning sky for some time to come.

Venus was at its furthest distance from
the Sun on the 23rd of March, and is slowly sinking towards
the horizon. Venus is a clear gibbous Moon shape in a telescope.
During the week the shaped Hyades cluster that forms the head of the Bull rises to meet Venus. By mid week Venus is roughly between the bright unaided-eye clusters the Pleiades and the A-shaped Hyades, which houses the bright red star Aldebaran. on the 24th the crescent Moon and Venus are close, and on the 25th the crescent Moon is in between Venus and Aldebaran.

Evening
sky on Saturday June 14 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 22:00
pm
ACST in South Australia. The inset shows the telescopic views of Saturn at this time.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent
local time (click to embiggen).

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially
with Mars and Venus and Saturn so prominent in the sky. If you don't have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Friday The 13th Full Moon

Friday the 13th Full Moon taken using my 4" Newtonian reflector and my Canon IXUS using a 25 mm eyepiece and infinity to infinity focusing.

Due to the congruence of the Full Moon and superstition around Friday the 13th, flights of fancy are abounding on the internet.

For one thing, this is NOT a supermoon (despite claims here). The Moon comes to perigee (closest approach to the Earth) two days after full this month, you need to wait until August 11 for an actual "Super Moon".

Yes, Full Moons on Friday 13th re fairly rare, the last on we had was on October 2000 (but there was one before that in 1998), and the next will be in August 2049.

Well, wow, that's rare right! Well, it is true of any arbitrary day date combination. Another full Moon falls on Friday November 7 this year. Prior to that a Friday 7 full Moon occurred in 1996, and the next will not be until February 2031. But we put a lot of meaning on Friday the 13th, Friday the 7th not so much. So the apparent rarity of Friday the 13th Full Moon impresses us compared to other Friday dates (Friday the 13th First Quarter, Last Quarter of New Moons don't impress us so much either).

This is also the closest full Moon to the Solstice so the Moon is riding high in the Southern Skies, well worth going out and having a look.

In Europe and America this full Moon is a "honey Moon", to the Algonquin Indians of North America it was a Strawberry Moon, but I couldn't find any Australian Indigenous names for seasonal Moons.

For most Australian Aboriginal Groups the Moon was male, rather than female, for the local Karuna peoples of the Adelaide plains, the Moon was called Kakirra, for the Boorong
peoples of north west Victoria the Moon, Mityan, represented the quoll or native cat. Quolls have full moon, half moon and crescent moon shapes on their coats.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Sky This Week - Thursday June 12 to Thursday June 19

The Full Moon is Friday June 13. Jupiter is low in the early evening sky. Mars and Saturn are prominent in the evening sky. Venus is prominent in the morning sky.

The Full Moon is Friday June 13. The Moon is at perigee (closest to Earth) on the 15th

Evening
sky on Saturday June 14 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:00
pm ACST in South Australia. Jupiter is above the north-western
horizon, Mercury is just above the horizon. Similar views will be seen elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).

At 6:00 pm if you have a level horizon free of obstructions, you can see three bright planets strung out across the sky, Jupiter just above the
horizon, Mars high in the northern sky and Saturn
rising in the west.

Jupiter
is low to the horizon when twilight ends. Jupiter sets around 19:30,
telescopic observation
is not really worthwhile now.

In the early evening Jupiter is above the north-western horizon between the
bright
stars Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini, and the bright red star
Betelgeuse. Jupiter is quite easy to
see as the brightest object above the western horizon in the early evening. In the early evening the
sight of bright Jupiter sinking to the west, and bright Mars (still not
as bright as Jupiter though) to the north and Saturn rising in the east is quite beautiful.

Jupiter's Moons are readily visible in binoculars.

Mars is easily seen in the northern evening sky.
It is highest in the sky around 19:30. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest, on the 9th of April, and
is still
readily distinguishable as the bright red/orange object above the
northern evening horizon. Mars is in the constellation of Virgo near the
brightish star Porrima, not far from the bright star Spica. Mars is still worthwhile looking at in a
telescope now, although you will need a decent one to see any detail.

Saturn is rising higher in the evening sky, and was at opposition on the 11th. Saturn
is visible all night long. Saturn is high enough
from around 10 pm for decent telescopic observation (see below).
Saturn is in Libra near the head
of the constellation of the Scorpion and forms a shallow triangle with the
two brightest stars of Libra, its apex pointing towards the head of the
Scorpion.

Morning sky on Sunday June 15 looking east as seen from Adelaide
at 6:30 am ACST. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at equivalent
local times. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is in the morning sky, above the north-eastern horizon. The brightest object
in the morning sky, it is easy
to see and although it is past maximum
brightness, it will dominate the early morning sky for some time to come.

Venus was at its furthest distance from
the Sun on the 23rd of March, and is slowly sinking towards
the horizon. Venus is a clear gibbous Moon shape in a telescope.
During the week the shaped Hyades cluster that forms the head of the Bull rises to meet Venus.

Evening
sky on Saturday June 14 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 22:00
pm
ACST in South Australia. The inset shows the telescopic views of Saturn and Mars at this time.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent
local time (click to embiggen).

The bright asteroid 4 Vesta is visible in binoculars in the evening sky. While Vesta is easily seen in
binoculars, you will
need to watch the same patch of sky in binoculars for a couple of nights
to identify it by its movement. Tiss week the brightness of the Moon interferes with viewing Vesta.

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially
with Mars and Venus and Saturn so prominent in the sky. If you don't have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.

The Sky This Week - Thursday June 5 to Thursday June 12

The First Quarter Moon is Friday June 6. Jupiter is low
in the early evening sky. Mercury is low in the evening sky below
Jupiter. Mars and Saturn are prominent in
the
evening sky. The Moon is close to Mars on June 7 and 8, and Saturn on
June 10. Venus is
prominent
in the morning sky.

The First Quarter Moon is Friday June 6.

Evening
sky on Saturday June 7 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:00
pm ACST in South Australia. Jupiter is above the north-western
horizon, Mercury is just above the horizon. Similar views will be seen elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).

At 6:00 pm if you have a level horizon free of obstructions, you can see
four bright planets strung out across the sky, Mercury just above the
horizon, Jupiter above that, Mars high in the northern sky and Saturn
rising in the west.

Mercury is low in the evening sky in the western twilight. This will be effectively the last week for a good view of the fleet planet before it disappears into the twilight.

Jupiter
is low to the horizon when twilight ends. Jupiter sets around 19:45,
telescopic observation
is not really worthwhile now.

In the early evening Jupiter is above the north-western horizon between the
bright
stars Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini, and the bright red star
Betelgeuse. Jupiter is quite easy to
see as the brightest object above the western horizon in the early evening. In the early evening the
sight of bright Jupiter sinking to the west, and bright Mars (still not
as bright as Jupiter though) to the north and Saturn rising in the east is quite beautiful.

Jupiter's Moons are readily visible in binoculars.

Mars is easily seen in the northern evening sky.
It is highest in the sky around 20:00. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest, on the 9th of April, and
is still
readily distinguishable as the bright red/orange object above the
northern evening horizon. Mars is in the constellation of Virgo near the
brightish star Porrima, not far from the bright star Spica. Mars is still worthwhile looking at in a
telescope now, although you will need a decent one to see any detail.

Saturn is rising higher in the evening sky, and was at opposition on the 11th. Saturn
is visible all night long. Saturn is high enough
from around 10 pm for decent telescopic observation (see below).
Saturn is in Libra near the head
of the constellation of the Scorpion and forms a triangle with the
two brightest stars of Libra, its apex pointing towards the head of the
Scorpion.

Morning sky on Saturday June 7 looking east as seen from Adelaide
at 6:30 am ACST. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at equivalent
local times. (click
to embiggen).

Venus is in the morning sky, above the north-eastern horizon. The brightest object
in the morning sky, it is now easy
to see and although it is past maximum
brightness, it will dominate the early morning sky for some time to come.

Venus was at its furthest distance from
the Sun on the 23rd of March, and is slowly sinking towards
the horizon. Venus is a clear gibbous Moon shape in a telescope.

Evening
sky on Sunday June 8 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 19:00
pm
ACST in South Australia. The Moon is close to Mars.The inset shows the telescopic views of Saturn and Mars at this time.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent
local time (click to embiggen).

The bright asteroid 4 Vesta is visible in binoculars in the evening sky. While Vesta is easily seen in
binoculars, you will
need to watch the same patch of sky in binoculars for a couple of nights
to identify it by its movement.

There are lots
of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially
with Mars and Venus and Saturn so prominent in the sky. If you don't have a telescope, now
is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.